10-08-86 S&W Comm MinutesOctober 8, 1986 SEWER AND WATER COMMITTEE 8:00 A.M.
• Chairman Nystul and Councilmen Hafferman and Ruiz in attendance. Dennis
Carver, Cary Wyrick of M&C Tire and Roger Hopkins of the Daily Inter Lake
also present.
WOODLAND SEWER SID #337 - Dennis Carver, engineer for the project, stated
that the bid documents were all in order, there were no errors, and the bid
range was normal with two of the bids very high and out of range. Several
items may reduce the price: 1) 5 water main adjustments were bid but may not
be needed, and 2) the gravity sewer maindeflection testing is optional depending
upon the actual on -site situation. He pointed out that the biggest differences
between the bids were in traffic control (a labor item) and mobilization because
those were the areas where a contractor tends to put profit dollars.
The problem with awarding the bid arose because the bonds have not been
sold. There are three parts to the funding for this project: 1) EPA funding
is providing 55% participation for eligible items (all but service lines),
or approximately $165,000, 2) the City's share of approximately $58,000, and
3) the SID portion of $96,000. (The advertisement for bonds was for $125,000
with the understanding that any overage would be retired at the time of the
first payment.) The hold up on the sale of the. bonds was due to a difference
in the way of figuring (area vs. combination of forms). The legal notices
have been sent to complete the bond sale on November 3. A consultant has
not been hired, the City is doing the work in-house. The City portion of
the funds comes from sewer capital improvement funds and will be replaced
• by hook-up fees.
Dennis Carver explained that time is of the essence because of the ground-
water problem. It is at 8' now and the main must be 16'. In the spring it
will be much higher. The contractor will have to begin by pumping to get
rid of the water. It will take 7 - 10 days to get materials here and that
will take him to the time the City sells the bonds.
The Committee agreed to issue a purchase order based upon the bid so that
the contractor may proceed with the lift station portion only to solve the
groundwater problem, concurrent with the City Attorney's approval. The City
will formally award the bid to LHC, Inc. of Kalispell on November 3 when the
bonds are sold.
M & C TIRE SEWER HOOK-UP - Cary Wyrick explained that he felt the $500
sewer hook-up fee and the $100 water hook-up fee were unwarranted on the new
building he is constructing on the basis that 55 - 60% of the water he uses
doesn't go down the sewer, this building is on the same lot as the present
building and he is hooking into the present sewer, not a new tap into the
main. The sewer usage is bathrooms only - the remainder of the 10,000 gallon
usage per bill goes into a dry well. This is simply an addition to the business
with a separate structure. S/W Supt. Hyde explained the reasoning behind
the fees and charges and stated that when a main is tapped a hook-up fee must
be paid. He also addressed the statement that Mr. Wyrick was hooking into
the existing sewer service line: the City dies not allow hooking a service
• into a service because it causes the "spaghetti" problems existing in several
areas. A service line must be tapped into a main. The other choice is to
make the existing service line a main - but to do taht the State requires
a professional engineer's plans be submitted for review and that the main
be 8". S/W Supt. Hyde said he had explained all this to Norm Coverdale, the
SEWER AND WATER COMMITTEE
October 8, 1986
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contractor before the permit had been issued. The other point is that if
they were to hook into the existing service line and it became a main the
City would be responsible for the main. The only way this wouldn't be required
would be if there were one structure with three businesses, rather than one
lot with three businesses, which is the case. Building Official Jackson pointed
out that it was a business decision based upon the code: either put a bathroom
in the building and pay the hook-up fees, or don't put a bathroom in.
Mr. Wyrick then asked if there could be an adjustment on the monthly sewer
fees because of the 50-60% that goes into the dry well, and S/W Supt. Hyde
said he would look at the situation and make a decision.
GREENACRES WATER BILL - The Homeowner's Association is saying that they
don't owe the sewer bill because the bill belongs to Mark III. DPW Hammer
and Attorney Neier investigated the claim and found that in 1984 Dean Marquardt
sent a letter to the City telling them to bill the Association. The Association
claims it was only formed to pay the water, not the sewer. It appears that
Mark III should have been billed, but there is no proof either way. DPW Hammer
stated that if the Association -has a problem witb-thn arrangement they should ---
deal with Marquardt. The City will not pay the Homeowner's Association the
funds requested without being sued.
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